


The Originals: Cut

by Ejemima



Category: The Originals (TV)
Genre: Angst, Blood, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Romance, Suspense, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-27
Updated: 2016-03-27
Packaged: 2018-05-29 10:04:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6370540
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ejemima/pseuds/Ejemima
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A line broken.<br/>Thousands of vampires without a sire.<br/>Falling.<br/>Burning. </p><p>Klaus Mikaelson doesn't run, he disappears.<br/>He had disappeared before and did so again.<br/>Where did he go and who did he meet? </p><p>What happens when vampires lose themselves? </p><p>Losing her 900 years ago, had broken him down to the man, everyone knew and hated to this day.<br/>For 366 years he had thought her lost for good, before she came back into his life.<br/>For centuries, she had been his only true relief.<br/>His one constant.<br/>The only one he truly trusted.<br/>Niklaus Mikaelson was not about to lose her again, not to anyone or to anything...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"Love is a vampire's greatest weakness and we are not weak, Elijah. We do not feel and we do not care."  
"We did once." 

"Too many lifetimes ago to matter."  
-          TVD S02E19 

 

1106 A.D. Scotland

Dull eyes looked up as the door slammed open.

A face filled with terror and a piercing scream cut through the dark night.

She looked around in her chamber. The cold stone-walls was painted with a dark red and small lumps of pink. On the floor, in a pool of red, lay two headless bodies of a couple of grown-ups. One female and one man and both clothes in black. 

She looked down herself. 

She sat on her bunk bed. Her white night gown, soaked in red, hung lose on her, one shoulder naked to the eye. Her small hands were sticky from the thick substance. Turquoise eyes looked up, at the person in the door. 

The nun had been on her usual nightly rounds, to make sure everyone had gone to sleep. When she had entered the chamber of the child, whom they had raised for the past six years, she had not expected to find a slaughterhouse. 

The nun gasped and covered her mouth, as she took a step away. She stared at the child, covered in blood. 

For the past year, there had been certain - incidents around the child. Accidents, sudden sickness and death to people around her, but never the child herself. 

The child always seemed unharmed. 

The Holy Mother and Father has received several concerns from her sisters, but the nun herself, had never experienced anything around the child. 

There were rumours among the sisters. 

Rumours about the devil's child - a demon, having found its way into the sacred ground. 

A demon that was able to curse and even kill you with just a small glance. 

Against her will, the nun's eyes flickered to the child's. Brown met turquoise and seconds later, the nun let out a scream, as an agonizing pain cut through her head. 

In the next moment, everything went black...

 

1116 A.D. Germany

The cold tore at her skin, as light rain fell from the ominous dark skies. Her naked feet slipped against the muddy ground, causing her to fall headfirst. 

She breathed heavily. 

Short, painful breaths. 

With shaking limbs, she rose to her elbows.

She looked down at her hands. 

The dark red had almost become permanent in the past ten years, since leaving the convent. 

She drew her hands through the mud, desperately trying to get rid of the haunting colour.

Wild turquoise eyes looked back, as she heard them. 

Pale, bony fingers pushed wet locks of dark red hair away. 

The abandoned stalls and shops, were barely visible in the darkness behind her; however, she could clearly hear the angry voices getting alarmingly closer. 

The normally busy village was dark and silent, as the girl found herself outside mid night. The moon and stars were hidden behind the skies, blocking out any little light the night could offer.

With a shaky breath, she got back on her feet and forced herself to move forward, ignoring the aching in her limbs. 

She turned a corner and found herself faced with one of the castle walls. She cursed her rotten luck and turned back quickly, hoping to get out of the blind alley, before her pursuers caught up to her. 

"Now we've got you, dirty little witch." A deep voice drawled right behind her, "You won't escape us again."  

Too late. 

She was caught, like a fish in the net. 

Standing her ground, she prepared herself to face them head on. 

They came towards her, carrying oiled torches and oil lamps, casting long shadows on the murky ground. 

She let out a low sneer and glared at the four grown men approaching her. The one in front, carrying the lamp, she knew to be the lord's personal servant. He was clothed in colourful robes, while the three behind him were in armour. Why did they have to wear armours. The stupid helmet was in the way and she would have to be creative to get it off them, before she could do anything. The dim light from the torches reflected in the sharp spearhead.

She glanced away from the deadly weapons and fixed her eyes on the man in the front. No armour. 

"Don't think you can fool me." The man snarled, "I know what you are. You're nothing but a filthy witch. An abomination."

He would be the first. She took a step back, feeling the cold wall against her back, never taking her eyes of the man. All she needed was to catch his eyes for one second and she could handle him, like she had done those guard earlier. There was a possibility that the other three would run away screaming, when they saw what she was capable of. It had happened before. 

"Now, is that something to call a young lady?" A sleek voice asked suddenly. The four men looked away from the girl and turned their lights towards the direction the voice had come from. 

She saw him in the dim light from the flames. 

Deep blue eyes. 

Dirty blond hair with a slight curl to it.

A crooked smile created small dimples in the corner of his mouth.

He was clad in the finest colours and could be nothing less than a visitor of the lord's, from the main city.

She had never laid eyes on him before and had to wonder what he was doing out in the middle of the night. No man of wealth wandered the streets this time of the night. 

"My Lord Niklaus." The servant acknowledged and gave a small bow, "This is not the time or place for you to be. There are thieves and murderers out this time of the day."

"And abominations, I believe?" The lord inquired, "Pray tell, what has this young girl done to deserve such harsh words from a man, such as yourself?" He asked as he put his hands behind his back and took a few steps forward. The servant looked from the lord, to the guards before fixing his eyes back on the girl. 

"She's a murderer." He spat venomously, "She repaid the Lord Heinrich's kindness by putting a curse on him and killed three guards as she fled the scene. We only just managed to catch up to her." 

The girl huffed and crossed her arms defiantly. 

"His kindness?" She asked disgusted, "Is that what the rich calls forcing one into bed, against their will?"

The servant took a step towards her, his cheeks turning slightly pink in anger. 

"You will be grateful the lord even took a second glance at you, filthy witch!" The servant roared angrily and ripped a long sword from one of the armoured men, before he charged forward. She braced herself and focused one the man ahead of her. The sword glinted in the dim light of the flames and in the next second, the edge was inches away from her chest.

It had stopped just before piercing her. Confused, she looked up and found a figure standing in front of her, their broad back to her. She led out a gasp, realizing that the sword had pierced the person in front of her. The coloured clothes becoming darker from the blood slowly soaking it. She heard a similar surprised gasp from the other side of the person, most likely coming from the servant. 

"That wasn't very nice now, was it?" A low growl erupted from the figure before her. She recognized the voice, as the lord who had interfered earlier. Lord Niklaus, was it? 

The young lord pulled out the long sword from his chest and threw it to the side, as if it had been nothing but a small splinter. 

"I'm so sorry..." The servant stammered, "I didn't mean to... How...?"

She saw him bathed in the pale moon light. 

The heart in his hand.

Blood dripping from his slender fingers and the corner of his mouth. 

The girl covered her mouth, holding back a gasp and took a small step back against the wall. 

Deep red eyes looked at her and sharp teeth glinted in the moonlight. 

She was frozen in place, as he dropped the heart and took a slow step towards her. 

Turquoise eyes widened, as she saw the servant get up behind the young lord, sword in hand and with a deadly glare in his small eyes. 

"No!" She screamed as he charged forward. She had no idea where the sudden need to protect the young lord came from and it was only years later she would realize why. However, in that moment, she only knew she had to; somehow keep the mysterious man safe. 

The blond man turned, just as she caught the servant's eyes. The servant dropped the sword, as he clutched his head. The cry cut through the dark night before a sickening sound of bone and flesh exploding broke the cry, bathing the darkness in a thick silence. 

She let out a breath she had been holding back, trying to calm herself. Hands and legs were shaking and she was just about to collapse to the ground, when she suddenly felt a strong hand around her neck and the cold from the stonewalls creeping through her thin clothes. 

"I was raised by a witch and I've come across a fair share in my time," He hissed, red eyes staring at her intensely. She swallowed hard. "I know a thing or two about witches and you love, are no witch - you have no magic. So, what are you!?" He sneered impatiently and tightened the grip around her throat. 

"I-"She gasped, trying to catch her breath, "The nuns, they called me a devil's spawn..." She said her voice a rasp whisper. The man crooked an eyebrow and chuckled before he released her. The girl dropped to the ground and caressed the sore skin on her throat.  

"Hardly." He huffed and glanced down at her. Red eyes now a deep blue. "Nuns have always been too superstitious." 

"What-what are you?" She dared asking. The man puzzled her. Not only had he pulled out a sword, which should have killed him instantly, but he'd also ripped, torn and broken three grown men and trained warriors, as if it was nothing. She knew she should be scared and run for her life, but something about him made it impossible for her to fear him. No matter what she had seen. Just like she had had the odd need to protect him and spontaneously killed a man. 

This had been the first time she had killed, for the sake of someone other than herself. 

This had been the first time; she had taken one life, to save another. 

"They call my kind vampires." He answered, never taking his eyes off her, but watched her reaction closely. 

"Vampires?" She asked confused. The girl was not sure it was a word, she had ever come across in her short 16 years, but then again, the young lord wasn't like anyone she had met before either.

The man nodded and leaned down, coming face to face with her again. 

"I'm Niklaus Mikaelson." He introduced and held out his hand. She took it reluctantly.

"Iris." She replied with a court nod.

 

 

2016 A.D. Tokyo

Iris froze for a second, when she heard the voice. Then she let out an angry growl and twisted her hand, before ripping out the beating heart she had been holding. The vampire grunted and dropped to the ground as his pale skin turned a cold grey. 

"What do you mean; 'you have a brother'?" She asked into the phone and turned away from the small pile of dead vampires, which had been piling up, "and since when?" Iris added and tossed the, still warm heart over her shoulder and wiped her bloody hand in dark jeans, as she walked to the door. 

"Well, we're not close, which is one of the reasons he hasn't come up." Was the answer. Iris could almost hear the superior smirk, which her conversation partner, no doubt, carried. She hated that he knew something she didn't. The iron hinges complained, as she opened the door, getting a little fresh air into the dark clubroom. The intense sweet and irony smell of blood didn't do anything from her growing headache. 

"So why bother telling me this now?" She asked with a small huff, leaning against the door-frame, "It's not like we're close either."

"Aw, come on Iris, that's just hurtful." The voice pouted, "How can you say that, after everything we're been through?"

The sun was rising, throwing red and yellow light in between the tall buildings of Tokyo. Outside the club, the city was slowly waking up. A few early birds were already heading for work or pre-school activities. 

Iris had been in the Asian headquarters for a few weeks. The club that resided in an alley of down town Tokyo was one of several clubs she owned in the modern city. Dance clubs, fight clubs, gaming clubs... For humans and supernaturals alike. There was one for every illegal activity, a dark heart could desire. During the last few weeks in the city, Iris had been dealing with some meddlesome vampires, which had become more aggressive and moved into turfs that weren't theirs. After the fall of the Strix and Kingsmaker vampires, smaller criminal organisations had become corky, thinking they could take down the remaining of 'the big three'. This had left Iris with a lot of tedious work, making sure that they understood the Black Panthers were still, very much, alive and in power.  

"Still living in the illusion that there is a 'we'?" Iris asked into the phone sceptically, "Don't you ever give up?" 

"Why should I? It's just now that the fun begins." The other voice answered with a hint of excitement, "Now, when it's finally time greet my brother and teach him a thing or two about reality."

A vampire woke from his broken neck and rose from his place on the floor. With an angry growl, he charged at Iris. She breathed out a sigh and took a step to the side, avoiding the vampires attack as he continued forward, slamming into the bar desk.

"Hang on for a second." Iris told the person on the phone and put it in her back pocket before approaching the vampire, who was recovering from his run in with the bar table. She graphed his shirt and threw him across the room. 

"I did contemplate letting one of you live," Iris said as she walked to the vampire, breaking of a wooden led from one of the bar stools on her way, "having you tell everyone else to kindly piss off, but I just got some news and I'm feeling a little unsettled, so I'll just kill you all and hoe the message sinks through." She stood over him and kneeled down on him. With a tired sigh, she slammed the stake into the vampire's chest, earning a painful cry from him, before everything around her fell quiet. She went behind the bar and graphed a bottle of the strongest sake. Taking a few mouthfuls, Iris put on her red leather jacket and took out her phone, as she left the club.

"Yeah, I still fail to see what your long lost brother has to do with me..." Iris said, kicking the door shot behind her and walked out to the open street, sake in one hand and the phone in the other. There was a small laugh in the other end.

"Well... It just so happens that, by a total coincidence, you know my dear brother, rather intimately, I should say."

"Language Iris..." The voice scolded, "It means; that epic love of yours, is in for a nasty wake up call. That is all." Without another word of explanation, the line was cut off, leaving Iris with silent phone.

"Asshole." Iris mumbled annoyed and shook her head, before she put the phone back in her pocket. She stopped in her tracks and took another swig of the sake, ignoring the guarded glances from passer-by's. With a tired sigh, she held up her phone again and called the first number on speed dial, as she started walking again.

"It's me." She said shortly when the phone was answered, "Have Takashi gather the coven. There's someone I need to find." Iris said and couldn't help a small smirk in excitement, "Oh and tell Saya to clean the club, it's a bloody mess in there..." 

She hung up the phone, drowned the last of the sake, and threw away the bottle. She caught her reflexion in a shop window and made a face. Her jeans and hands were covered in red and blood splatter had reached her neck and face. 

Iris sighed. 

It had been no wonder people on the street had given her guarded looks; she looked like something out of a horror movie. 

This wouldn't do.  
She would need some new clothes.


	2. Behind this soft exterior, lies a warrior

A/N: All right, this story is gonna have some jumping around in time. It should be marked by a centred year, so be sure to take notice of these and the years portrayed, otherwise it won't make much sense. And take notice if it's in the 12th or 21th century the scene take place ;)

Song and inspiration for this chapter is: "Warrior" by Beth Crowley

* * *

_Teach me how to fight_

_I'll show you how to win_

_You're my mortal flaw_

_And I'm your fatal sin_

_Let me feel the sting, the pain, the burn under my skin_

_Put me to the test_

_I'll prove that I am strong_

_Won't let myself believe that what we feel is wrong_

_I finally see what you knew was inside me all along..._

_That behind this soft exterior lies a warrior...._

_You take me by the hand I'm sure of who I am..._

 

**1117 A.D. Germany**

Her body collided with the cold floor and slid a meter or two along it before slamming into the opposite wall. She heard a few cracks in her left arm and felt a sharp pain following.

"Again!" Klaus shouted and walked towards her with quick steps.

His deep voice sounded off the boulders in the training hall, as he picked up the sword she had dropped.

"I can't!" She complained, trying hard to ignore the burning pain in her arm, "I... I..."

"Yes! You can." Klaus insisted and stopped in front of her, hovering.

"Get up. Don't be so weak." He threw the sword in front of her.

The girl glared up at him and with shaking limps, she graphed the sword and leaned up against the wall, as she struggled to get up, for what felt like the hundredth time. She hissed and made a face at every small movement. Every muscle in her body burned. Her head was pins and needles. Pale skin was covered in angry bruises and bloody gashes and her arm was quickly turning red and swelling.

It had become twilight and outside the summer day had grown chiller, while they had been lost in the training. The lights of the large hall had already been lit, bathing their surroundings in a dim yellow light.

"Come on Nik, we're been at it for hours!" She moaned feeling the fatigue growing, "Can't we at least take a break?"

In a flash Klaus' face was inches from her, the sharp length of his sword against her pale throat.

"When enemies come to kill you, they don't take breaks, Iris." He argued harshly and pushed closer, drawing blood from her bruised throat. "When one is out, another one comes. They never stop."

The 17-year-old girl groaned.

"But Nik, I'm exhausted!" Iris said and gave him a defiant look, barely feeling the steel against her throat, "It feels like I haven't had one day's peace since coming here! If it's not you, then it's either 'Lijah, Bekah or Kol who wants to teach me something. I don't have the same stamina as you guys, I'm just a human!"

Klaus lowered the sword and starred at her for a long moment.

"No, you're not just a human Iris." He countered, putting his hands on either side of the smaller girls shoulder, "That exhaustion, pain, anger and frustration – use it. Turn your weakness into your strength."

Iris sighed tiredly and closed her eyes for a moment.

"Why can't I just blow up my enemies heads? It have worked so far." Iris mumbled.

"Which was why it went so well, when we met." Klaus pointed out giving her a disapproving look. Iris opened her mouth to retort, but found she had nothing to say.

"A coward and a fool takes the easy way." Klaus told her, catching her eyes, "You are better than that. You have the heart of a true warrior Iris. One that fights with honour and real strength."

The girl blinked and looked down in shame.

"My siblings and I work you hard because we want you to be the best version of yourself. " Klaus explained and gave her a small smile, "We're teaching you everything we know, because that's what families do."

"Family...?" She asked tasting the word, as it rolled of her tongue. It was not a word she had ever associated herself with. Iris had seen the word in action countless times and she had glared at it, as if it had offended her. She had wanted to tear and rip it apart, as she both hated it and longed for it - more than anything.

Klaus gave a short nod and kneeled down, looking up at her.

"If you want to become a Mikaelson," He said and gave her a pointed look, "you need to be able to think and fight like a Mikaelson. For survival and for your family."

 

(...)

The girl sat in her open window that night, watching the village go to sleep, one light at the time as the stars above her became more clear.

Her window.

Her room.

Her home.

Iris had only lived with the Mikaelson siblings for a little over a year, but it felt like she had been with them forever.

It was as if the first 16 years of her life had never happened. It was like it was nothing more than a distant nightmare, slowly fading into oblivion. As if the years of loneliness, hopelessness and pain, had been whisked away by that one outstretched hand.

The only remnants of the years pass, was the frequent nightmares and how she occasionally saw things that weren't really there, of her own hands covered in red and sticky liquid. She would dream of herself being covered in the blood of her victims, being surrounded by mutilated bodies with no heads or burst open chests.

However, even with this, she weren't alone.

Whenever she would have a nightmare or see things, one of them would be by her side within seconds of hearing her frightened scream. With no exception; Rebekah, Elijah, Kol or Niklaus were by her, whenever she needed the comfort and they would stay with her the rest of the night.

In the beginning, Niklaus had been the only one able to calm her down, as she had held on to him for dear life. However recently Iris had begun feeling just as safe with the other three.

Family.

That's what Niklaus had said earlier.

That's what families did.

They care for and want what's best for each other.

Iris smiled to herself and pulled her legs up under her white nightgown. She rested her head on knees and looked up into the dark skies.

It was all so new to her.

All this warm and tingling feeling inside of her.

Feeling anything altogether, had been foreign.

Happiness, frustration, regret, content, anger, sadness, crying, laughing - it was all new to her. Even if it sometimes exhausted her to the point of passing out, it was something she basked in.

The wonder of it all made her feel alive.

Iris was no longer alone. She had people who cared and looked out for her.

People, who taught her everything they knew and considering they were almost a 150 years old, that was quite a lot. Iris knew what they were, she had seen them hunt and feed. She had heard the hushed voices and seen the scared looks in the villages - stories of a killer in the darkness, who would drain their victims for blood and leave them to rot. Iris knew the truth behind the "killer", but couldn't find it in her heart to despise them.

She, herself had done worse for less. The Mikaelson siblings were no more monsters than Iris herself and nothing about them scared her.

They had told her their story of how their mother had cursed them, in order to keep them safe from beasts that turned by the full-moon. The need for blood and immortality had been unforeseen consequences. Niklaus had scowled throughout the entire story of their mother.

When Iris had asked him about it later, when they where alone, he had hesitated a minute before telling her. He had been the result of his mother's affair and thus were half beast. He had told her, how his mother had locked that side of him away with magic and how he had ended up killing her out of spite for her.

That had been the first night, Iris had been up half the night talking with Niklaus, something they did frequently ever since. Even if the girl had started feeling more safe with and trusted the other three, Niklaus was somehow still the one she preferred spending her time with.

This was known to her, even if she didn't understand why. It just felt natural and safe being with him. Iris was aware that the life she had lived would scare and break most people. With what she knew now, Iris knew she had lived a hard life.

But she wasn't alone.

From what Niklaus had told her about his own childhood and life so far, Iris knew that things hadn't been easy for him either. Maybe this was one of the reasons why they enjoyed each others company - they were like kindred souls.

The heart of a true warrior.

Iris found she wanted nothing more.

She wanted to be a part of the family and she wanted to be able to protect it with her own strength.

She wanted them to be able to count on her and fight along side them, as an equal.

 

She heard the sudden angry cry tearing through the quiet night. Niklaus.

She winched, as the outburst literally hurt her.

It was, as if she could feel his pain.

His frustration.

His anger.

Without a second thought, the girl jumped down from her window and hurried out of her chamber, to the one next to her.

She took the door handle and pushed it down carefully.

She wanted to help him.

She needed to.

Some way, somehow she wanted to ease his pain.

The chamber was dark, with only a little pale light, coming from the shining moon through the windows and a lone oil lamp on the night stand. Her eyes scanned the chamber and found a lone, huddled figure in one of the corners. The girl approached it carefully. As she moved closer, she heard mumbling.

"Go away.... Leave me alone... Shut up! You're not real!" The mumbling became angry shouts, as she got a clear look at the figure.

He sat on the floor, legs pulled up, arms around them and face down and hidden. He was shaking madly, hands in a constant vibration. The girl reached out to him, when he suddenly looked up at her. Eyes were red, bloodshot, wild and visible, pulsating veins emerged around the eyes.

The vampire.

This weren't the first time she had found him like this.

It had been a frequent occurrence, ever since she had joined the family and even a few years before that.

The siblings said that it had been like this, ever since Niklaus had killed five hunters. He had done so, after they'd attacked them with knives, which put them all into motionless slumper. The last brother, Finn, was still in said slumper. None of the siblings had bothered taking it out and Iris didn't really care enough, about a man she didn't know, to dig further into the matter.

What she cared about, however, was that whatever had happened since Niklaus killed the hunters, tormented him. Some days were better than others and mostly the bad days were filled with Niklaus seeing people that weren't really there and him desperately trying to kill himself. Iris knew about seeing things that weren't really there. It was horrifying and more often than not, she had wanted to end it all by taking her own life. Niklaus had stopped her every time and then scolded her for even having the thought. Iris returned the gesture on nights like this.

"Henrik...?" he whispered, his voice raw, "I'm so, so sorry..." He reached his hand towards her, tears falling freely from eyes looking at something she couldn't see. Something of a distant memory. He stopped, only inches from touching her.

"No..." he snarled suddenly, "you're not real... You're dead..." His sorrowful face twisted in rage as he let out an angry hiss, revealing a pair of sharpen teeth.

He changed into a squatting position, as his red eyes squinted at her and mouth twisted in an angry growl. Just as he launched at her, Iris held out her hand, stopping him immediately.

"You're not real!" he shouted furiously and struggled to moved, "Leave me alone!"

Iris closed the distance between them and just as her hand touched his face gently, the teeth and veins disappeared and the red eyes slowly turned to the deep blue she knew. Everything in him seemed to relax, at her touch and he let out a relieved sigh.

"Iris...?" he asked his voice small and broken. Iris crooked her head and gave him a gentle smile.

"There you are..."

** 2019 A.D. Somewhere in Europe  **

Consciousness slowly crept through the darkness.

With it came a fuzzy awareness of the surroundings, jumbled thoughts and the agonizing pain.

She hissed as eyes fluttered open and landed on a pulsating wound on her right arm.

A flesh wound with black edges and thick, yellow liquid mixed with blood, emerged from the pink, exposed flesh.

Black lines grew from it, crawling up and round her arm - spreading like a snake wiggling its way through her veins.

Burning.

Her blood was on fire, like boiling water, setting aflame every cell within her as it went.

Hunger.

Her stomach was turning painfully.

Her mouth and throat dry as a desert, making every swallow motion feel like needles, going through her digestive system. Everything inside her burned, turned and twisted in agony. Screaming at her for some sort of relief she couldn't give.

So hungry.

So thirsty.

She let out a scream, as the fire reached her shoulder. It was slowly going for her heart and brain.

She knew this.

Once it reached, then... What would happen?

What was going on?

Where was she?

Who was she?

She moved but quickly found herself unable to do much. Heavy shackles tired her wrists and ankles to an iron chair. She was in a dim lit room, with the only source of light coming from a couple of long, white lights, behind her, just bellow the ceiling. The room seemed otherwise empty, with cold grey wall and floor. She tried to remember how she had gotten there but everything from before she woke, two minutes ago seemed lost. Distracted by the burning pain and intense hunger, she couldn't seem to focus on anything else. Let alone trying to remember anything in her tortured mind.

It was like she knew there was something.

Something important, but she couldn't reach it.

No matter how hard she tried, it was just beyond her grasp. As she tried to remember something - anything at all - she felt a small sting in her left arm.

An image. A drawing on her arm, which seemed to have meant something once. However it seemed to be cracked - broken, giving no chance of decipher what it was supposed to be.

She sighed regrettable, feeling that whatever it had been would've helped her figuring out who she was. She looked further down her arm towards her hand. Skin grey with exposed veins.

A ring.

A golden band with a blue stone, on her left ring finger.

Blue.

An image of blue eyes flashed in her mind, followed by a dimpled grin.

Mischievous and playful.

She closed her eyes and tried once again to focus.

Blue eyes.

Dimpled grin.

She had no idea what it meant or where it came from, all she knew, was that she needed to hold on to those two images. Somehow they relived some of the pain she felt, making her focus harder.

Blue eyes.

Dimpled grin.

She held on to it, as if her life depended on it and waited.

But waited for what?

What was going on?

Who was she?


	3. Far from you, but I could never abdicate, I'll fight forever

**A/N:** Song and inspiration for chapter is "Down with the fallen" by Starset and is set from Klaus' point of view. Enjoy :)

* * *

 

_"Searching through the darkness below_

__For a light in seas of shadows_ _

__**Far from you, but I could never** _ _ __**abdicate, I'll fight forever** " _ _

**_ 1120 A.D. _ **

_The hooves sounded against the stones in the courtyard as she rode in. A stable boy came running to greet her and take the horse resting. The dead deer and rabbits, hung on the horse behind her and by the sight of the kill, a few servants came out from the kitchens to receive it. It was early twilight on a chill fall day, as Iris returned from her hunt. She enjoyed taking her horse hunting, whenever she needed some time and space for herself to think. Something she had much need for lately. The reason for these lone hunts of hers, were Niklaus. Something was changing between them. Whenever they were, alone it would seem awkward somehow and whenever their eyes would meet, Iris felt a heat rise within her and she would quickly look away, as her heart started beating uncomfortable. Because of this, they hadn't talked properly for weeks. It had been so long since their last late night talk. Iris felt unsettled around him all together and this was new. Ever since he had found her and brought her into the family, four years ago, Niklaus had been the person she had enjoyed being around the most - until recently._

_She jumped down from the horse, her dark green dress and black cape fell around her slim form, as she pushed back the hood, revealing thick flaming red hair. Iris corrected her belt with her two hunting knives and sounding horn. She took off the bow and arrows on her back and handed it to one of the servants along with her cape, as she headed for the main doors._

_"Will the guests be joining you for supper, my lady?" The servant taking her things asked, head bowed in deep respect. Iris stopped and gave the servant a confused look._

_"What guests?" She asked, not remembering anyone talking about any guests coming. If that had been the case, Elijah would have told Iris to make sure she'd be back early, when she left this morning._

_He hadn't._   
_This could only mean that said guests had come unannounced._   
_Iris felt herself tense._   
_This couldn't be good._

_"A lord and two ladies arrived just minutes prior to my lady." The servant explained, unaware of Iris' sudden tense state, "And with your grand hunt, we wanted to make sure if we were going to prepare for three more."_

_Iris stared at the waiting servant for a long moment then blinked and shook her head._   
_"No, whoever is here, I don't think they will be-" Iris stopped suddenly as her ears caught an alarming sound. Although she didn't have the enchanted hearing as the ones she lived with, Kol and Klaus had taught her to strengthen all her senses and always be aware of her surroundings, in their many hunting sessions. This was the reason for the muffled sounds of painful groans; she was able to hear, coming from inside of the castle. Iris waved off the servant and ran through the doors. An unsettled feeling grew within her, as Iris ran for the great hall. First the unannounced guests and now this. Something was defiantly wrong._

_She stopped in front of the closed doors to the great hall and heard the groans more clearly. There was no doubt in her mind- someone was hurting her family._

_Iris pulled out her knives and pushed open the heavy oak doors. Carefully, as to not alert the "guest"._

_Iris' heart dropped painfully, as she found Rebekah, Elijah and Kol on the white marble floor, all three clutching their heads and moaning in pain. In front of them, with their back to Iris, stood a woman, clothed in dirty rags. She held her hand out towards the three vampires, as she chanted under her breath. By the sight, Iris new the woman to be a witch and knew to be cautious as she tiptoed forward soundlessly. When she was barely a meter from the witch, Kol glanced up from his crumbled state on the floor and caught Iris' eyes. The red head motioned for him to keep quiet as she took another step forward. Kol's eyes grew wide suddenly, seconds before Iris felt a presence behind her. In the next second, with almost inhuman speed, Iris had turned, thrown one of her knives at another witch appearing behind her. The knife pierced her throat, alarming the other witch with her death gurgles. Iris' other knife soon pierced the second witch's heart, as the redhead moved in perfect speed._

_"You dared hurting my family," Iris whispered menacingly into the ear of the old witch, as she stood close, "and for that, you die." Iris twisted the knife once, feeling warm blood pour out, covering her hand and running down her arm. She pushed the knife in further and caught the eyes of the dying witch. Iris held it there, and stared coldly as she saw brown eyes turn dull and grey. She waited for the release of the last breath, making sure the wench was dead, before pulling the knife out. The corpse dropped to the floor in a pool of blood. As Iris looked up, she saw the three Mikaelson's slowly getting on their feet. Elijah helping his younger sister. Kol looked from the two dead witches to Iris and gave her a crooked smirk._

_"I'm impressed." He said with a hint of pride, "I see that the hours Nik and I put into your training, haven't been lost. Well done, little hunter." Kol praised and gave Iris an affectionate clap on her shoulder. Iris grinned at him, before glancing at Elijah and Rebekah, who both gave her appreciative nods. Then Iris froze suddenly._

_Where was Niklaus?_

_"Mikael." Elijah said, having guessed the reason for Iris' sudden tension, "Mikael came with two witches. Niklaus separated from us, leading Mikael away."_   
_"Where?" Iris asked, trying hard to hold back her trembling fear. She was too emotional to concentrate on listening to Klaus' whereabouts but she knew his siblings would without a doubt, be able to locate him._   
_"Iris, you can't." Elijah said with a stern voice, one he usually used to lecture, not only Iris, but also his younger siblings, as the oldest brother, "Mikael is too-"_   
_"Drawing room." Kol interfered, receiving an immediate glare from Elijah. Iris nodded and gave Kol a grateful peck on the cheek before she ran off._

_"Have you any idea what you just send her to?" Elijah asked angrily and stepped up to his brother, "It's Mikael!"_   
_"I know bloody well it's Mikael." Kol defended himself and glared back at his older brother, not letting himself be intimidated, "But did you just see what she did? Iris practically saved us, just now! Those two witches were no picnic. She makes a better vampire than some of the vampires I know. I believe she's ready Elijah. I believe she's able to, at least chase Mikael away for now." Kol insisted stubbornly. The older Mikaelson looked from his brother to his sister, hoping to find some alliance in her. Rebekah gave him a small smile._   
_"I believe Kol is right, Elijah." She said and gave him an apologetic look, "Iris is stronger than ever. I believe she's ready."_   
_Elijah closed his eyes and sighed, accepting the defeat._   
_"Alright, but we're not just leaving her unattended." He said opening his eyes and looking at his siblings, "We need to be close by if something goes wrong."_   
_Both Kol and Rebekah nodded in agreement and the three siblings started heading for the drawing room of their home._

_Iris reached the drawing room within a minute and didn't hesitate when she opened the doors. Iris entered just in time to see Mikael pierce Klaus with a white oak stake. She screamed as Klaus fell to the ground, pale skin turning grey and the stake bursting into merciless flames. Mikael turned back towards her, a gleeful smirk plastered on his lips._  
" _So you're the one, my children have been doting on for the past couple of years." Mikael drawled and took a few steps towards her, "I wonder what's so special about you. You're nothing but a pathetic human girl." He taunted. Iris took a step back as the vampire hunter got closer. She looked between Mikael and the lifeless Klaus on the floor ahead of her. She could feel the flames from the small distance, as they were eating away, at the first person she had ever cared for. Iris knew she couldn't let it take him completely and so she had to come up with something fast. Iris decided to stop thinking as there were no time, and just act. She tried to focus on the flames and burning stake, doing everything in her power to ignore Mikael, who slowly approached her. She willed the flames to go out and to her relief they obeyed. Soon the scorched stake flew out of the vampires chest and landed in Iris' bloody hand._

M _ikael stopped in his tracks as the stake suddenly flew past him. The stake burst back into flames as Iris held it, but the flames didn't hurt Iris, as the white oak stake burned and crumbled into ashes. Mikael stared at her in bewilderment._  
" _Who are you?" He whispered and took a step back, never taking his eyes from the girl. Iris smirked and caught the vampire hunters eyes._  
" _Me? I'm just a pathetic human." She answered the man, glaring at him. Mikael let out a scream as he clutched his chest. Iris took another step forward. Her smirk turned gleeful as the old vampire fell to his knees letting out a cry of agony as he clutched his throat and head._  
" _Not so tough now, are you? Mikael, the vampire who hunts vampires." Iris snarled angrily as she stood over him, "This is what happens when you threaten the ones I care about."_  
M _ikael glared up at her, with eyes that promised her endless pain and torture, before he was gone the next second._  
 _Iris let out a relieved sigh, as she tried to calm her racing heart._

" _Niklaus!" She exclaimed, suddenly remembering her reason for being there and ran to the man laying motionless on the floor._  
" _No, no, no..." She ranted as she fell down next to him, "Please, don't be dead. Don't be dead!"_  
 _The_ _stake was out and gone, however it had left a gabbing and scorched wound in the vampires chest and his skin had turned characteristically grey, like she had seen it with dead vampires. His eyes were closed and there was no movement or reaction no matter how hard Iris hit or shook him._  
" _No... Please... Nik...." She whispered, feeling tears escape her eyes and a painful stab in her chest._  
 _Without thinking of a reason as to why, Iris moved her shaking hands and laid them on the vampires pierced chest. She closed her eyes, trying hard to ignore the falling tears. Now was not the time to panic._  
 _She needed to be strong, for him._  
 _Iris could do this._  
 _She could save him._  
 _It wasn't too late._  
 _It couldn't be._  
 _Iris wouldn't allow it._

 

** 2019 A.D. New Orleans **

Kol rubbed his sleep deprived eyes and yawned as he entered the kitchen. He stopped in the door, realizing that he wasn't the only one up despite the, all too early hour.   
"I take that it's not just me then." Kol said, stifling another yawn, "Which really makes it all the more unsettling. Have you heard anything from Nik?"   
Elijah looked up from the cup of coffee he had been nursing. The usually proper original sat slumped in the chair. His hair was unruly, he had dark bangs under his tired eyes and was wearing pyjama pants and a white top. He let out a small grunt, answering his brother's question and took a sip of his coffee, hoping to wake up a bit. 

Kol sat down next to him, pouring himself a cup of the coffein bomb. Normally it wasn't something he'd drink, hating the taste of it, but Kol hadn't slept properly for days, not even with Davina's help, and the vampire was getting desperate. The anaemia weakened him and slowed his senses.

He hated it.

This wasn't the first time it had been like this. It had happened a few times over the past five centuries, but it had never been this bad. From the way Elijah looked, he would probably say the same. Kol thought about Rebekah and Klaus. His sister was still in her daggered slumber, but Kol knew, from own experience, that even there, you'd be able to feel it. He wondered if Klaus was dealing with it. The hybrid brother was usually the first one to feel and act on it, seeing as he had always been the one closest.   
Damn him and his 'disappearance'. Because of that they had no idea where he was or what was going on. 

Freya and Davina had tried to locate Klaus. They hadn't been able to find him or make any contact, which told Elijah and Kol one thing.   
They didn't know where or what their brother was doing, but they knew who he was with or at least who he had been in contact with. With this, they knew that whatever attempt they'd make on locating him, would be futile. They wouldn't be able to come in contact with their brother, not until he contacted them. 

Whatever Klaus was doing, he was doing it too slow. For every hour it got worse and within the past 24 hours, it had started to hurt. A painful burning sensation running through their bodies every now and then. This was something which had never happened before.   
It made the two originals unstable and weak and with everything that went on with the vampires of New Orleans, at the moment, it was more that inconvenient.

 

**(...)**

The woman in the bar had told Caroline that no one had seen or heard from Klaus in three years, but his siblings could still be found in their house in the French quarter. Caroline had sighed and looked down at her two daughters. She couldn't believe she was going so far, but as much as she hated to admit it, she couldn't deny that they needed his help. It had gone from bad to worse and even further, if Alaric's latest call was anything to go by.

Caroline shook her head as a sudden dizziness and headache made her loose focus for a moment. These things had been happening more and more often lately and Caroline wondered for the tenth time if something was wrong with her, but snapped back when Liz tugged in her hand and asked if something was wrong. The blond gave the little girl a reassuring smile and told her she was fine.

She had been in the city a few days, when she finally managed to find the remaining Mikaelsons in their French Quarter home. She was greeted by Elijah and Kol, if she remembered correctly, not having had met the youngest brother, as much as some of her friends. Besides the two originals, there was another man - a vampire with dark skin and a woman, a witch, who told Caroline she was the oldest sister of the Mikaelson siblings. Caroline remembered Stefan talking about her, as she had helped him, some three years ago, when he had been in the city.

"I'm sorry to hear about your troubles with Reina, but as you've been told, Niklaus haven't been here for the past three years." Elijah said nonchalantly, "We currently have urgent matters of our own and I'm afraid we can't help you."

"So you have no idea where Klaus is, how to contact him or what he have been up to these past few years." Caroline asked, giving the original a sceptical look.

There was a moment of silence, where Elijah merely looked at the blond vampire. His face frowned before he answered.

"No."

Caroline knew the man was lying. He may not know exactly where his brother was, but he did know something. The blond vampire was about to speak her mind, making the original talk, when she was interrupted by an all too familiar voice.

"Hello love, how convenient that I should find you here."   
Caroline turned in the chair and found the man she had been looking for, causally standing against the door-frame into the study.   
"Klaus." Caroline gasped, surprised by his sudden appearance. It had been several years since she had last seen the hybrid, but he still had the same effect on her. Her heart skipped a beat in excitement. Caroline scolded herself for letting herself being affected by the man.   
A crooked smirk created the characteristic dimples on the hybrid.  
He knew.  
Caroline huffed and stood up, walking up to the man. 

"This is just like you." Caroline said annoyed, "When we don't need you, you're all over the place and when we finally do, you're no where to be found."

"Oh, so you need me, do you?" Klaus asked with a self satisfied smirk and walked past Caroline into the study to greet his family. He received a warm hug from Freya and acknowledging nods from his brothers. 

"Reina is back and she's after Stefan again but that's not the only problem." The blond started explaining and crossed her arms stubbornly.

"You don't say." Klaus mumbled exchanging a look with the others.

"A few years ago, we learned that Reina has a limited amount of lives and when she dies the last time, so does the vampire she has marked. As it is, she has one left, meaning if she dies-"

"So does Stefan." Klaus finished and nodded, understanding the predicament, "With everything that is going on with the vampires, the great vampire hunter, Reina Cruz is still only concerned about one slippery Salvatore." 

"That woman really needs to get her priorities straight." Kol commented coldly. Both Klaus and Elijah nodded solemnly in agreement. Freya and  Marcel watched the exchange quietly, knowing all to well what the brothers where hinting at and curious about Klaus' sudden return. 

"What are you talking about?" Caroline wanted to know, giving the three originals a confused look.

"You really don't know?" Klaus asked, giving the blond vampire a curious look, "I've heard it should be slowed down, if a vampire had a strong grasp on their humanity, but it's been three years. With your age, you should at least begin to feel it by now." 

"Forget that." Kol said and got up from his position leaning against the desk, "How have you not noticed what's been happening the past two years? Where have you been? Under a rock?" 

Caroline glared at the older vampire and was about to retort, when Elijah intervened. 

"Enough." He said firmly, "Caroline is lucky, to not have been infected yet, maybe it can help us figure out how to handle this." The older Mikaelson said and gave Klaus an expectant look. The hybrid seemed to have been lost in his own thoughts and looked up when he felt his brother's eyes on him. 

"There's a way to stop it, if it hasn't progressed too far." He said, answering his brother's unspoken question, "At a certain stage, even this won't work any more. What's more is that their bites will quicken the process. Then it won't matter how old you are. This is why I'm here."

"Well?" Kol asked impatiently, "How do we stop this thing?!"

"There is two ways to stop the process." Klaus began as he sat down and slammed his feet on the desk, "Either we kill the poor sods or we re-sire them - to me." 

A silence feel between the six supernaturals as they each let the meaning of the words sink in. 

"So what is it gonna be Marcel?" Klaus finally asked, not hiding his gleeful smirk. Marcel had been one of the reasons it all had started and the hybrid was sure to let him know this. " I heard about Joshua, poor lad. Davina must have been at her wits end with that one. Seems her clever plan to free her friends from the monsters grasp backfired."

Marcel glared at Klaus, making the old hybrid chuckle, as he put his feet down and stood up. He ignored Elijah's look, telling him he was going a little too far and enjoying the situation a little too much. Klaus didn't care if he was going too far. In fact, he didn't care much about what Marcel or anyone was saying or feeling at the moment. Klaus had never been more scarred and frustrated, than he had been ever since _that_ had happened and he needed some outlet. He needed to be able to forget it, if only for a moment, knowing that as things were right now, there was nothing he could do. Klaus couldn't do anything, but wait as he felt her, slowly slipping away from him. With every burn, she slipped further away. 

Klaus watched them, for another quiet moment. He wanted them to suffer like he did. He wanted them to feel what it was like, to slowly lose something you cared about and not being able to do anything about it. Nothing but waiting patiently. He wanted them to feel the fear, pain and desperation he felt. 

In truth, Klaus hadn't wanted to go. At this point, he didn't really care about the vampires of New Orleans, the Salvators or even Caroline. 

It was _them_ , who had insisted he went and do what he was doing. _They_ had told him that he couldn't do anything there and if he didn't go, he'd regret it one day after which, they'd practically thrown him on a plane. Klaus suspected, that they hadn't cared what he did and just got sick of his pacing and ordering them around. 

Clever move really. _They_ had wanted him to lay low, while they searched. Klaus had huffed at this. One would think that _they_ knew him, after all this time. Klaus Mikaelson didn't 'lay low', when it came to these matters. It wasn't in his nature and hadn't been for the past thousand years. 

 _They_ really should know this. 

 _She_ knew this and she was waiting for him. Klaus could feel it. 

The bastard may have broken the bond, they had created three years ago, but it wasn't the only one. Klaus could still feel _her_ , the way he always had and thanks to the situation, he knew it was _her_. 

"So Marcellus, are you going to accept the same fate, as your friend or return to the fold?" Klaus asked, giving Marcel a smug look. 

* * *

 **A/N:** Yeah, there's a lot of 'they', 'she' and even a 'the bastard', but never worry, you'll know who they are, all in good time! It's a new way for me to write a story, with the flash forwarding, inspired by TVD, and I don't want to reveal to much of what is happening in the story. It's only chapter three after all ;P

Also, sorry about the Josh thing, please don't hate me. I honestly like Josh, but I needed something for Klaus to rub in and point out the seriousness of what is happening, whatever it is. Nothing says, 'this is serious', like the loss of a beloved character, so please forgive me? 

I hope this chapter left you with a lot of questions. Like; how did Klaus survive back in 1120? What is happening with Elijah and Kol, since they're not able to sleep? What is it that has happened before? Who has Klaus been with, since his brothers knew they wouldn't be able to contact him? Just who are these people that's been referred to? 

Also, being killed or re-sired?! Stopping what process?! What's going on!? 0_0 

Stay tuned for the next chapters to learn more! 


End file.
